Jalisco-Style Birria

1. Marinate the meat. Place the lamb in a large roasting pan. Add the vinegar and salt and rub thoroughly over every piece. Set aside while you make the adobo.

2. Toast the chiles. Heat a comal or dry skillet over medium-low heat. Toast each dried chile for about 1 minute per side until fragrant and lightly darkened — don’t let them burn. Transfer to a saucepan with the garlic cloves and cover with 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes until the chiles are fully softened.

3. Blend the adobo. Transfer the chiles and garlic to a blender along with about 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Add the oregano, cumin seeds, nutmeg, black pepper, and cloves. Blend until completely smooth. Let cool to room temperature.

4. Coat and refrigerate. Pour the adobo over the lamb and turn each piece until thoroughly coated. Cover the pan tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours — ideally 24 to 48 hours.

5. Roast covered. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Cover the roasting pan tightly with foil and roast for 2½ to 3 hours, until the meat is very tender and beginning to fall from the bone.

6. Brown and finish. Remove the foil and roast for a further 35 minutes until the top is caramelised and deeply browned. Taste the broth and adjust salt.

7. Serve. Transfer the meat to a platter and spoon over some of the pan broth. Pull or shred onto warm corn tortillas and top with chopped white onion, cilantro, a squeeze of lime, and salsa.

Beef or pork work well in place of lamb. The birria keeps beautifully — make it a day ahead and reheat gently, covered, at 325°F until warmed through.